Highway to Hell
by QueenWillie
Summary: Daniel needs a favour and the only one who can help him is the one person he really doesn't want to ask Light, fluffy, nonsense :P


Title – Highway to Hell

Author – QueenWillie

Pairing – Daniel/Wilhelmina Friendship

Rating – PG

Disclaimer – Don't own 'em, never will 

Summary – Daniel needs a favour and the only one who can help him is the one person he most definitely does not want to ask. (This is just a piece of nonsensical ramblings lol that went on a lot longer than I thought they would, Also I have no idea how far away Buffalo is from NY lol :P)

**Chapter 1**

'Bastard!' She slammed the lid of her laptop down, teeth clenched and nostrils flaring in anger.

'You called?' Marc sang as he scampered in to the office.

She was not in the mood for his jokes today. 'Shut up Marc! That…that…argh!'

'Bastard?'

'Exactly.'

'Might one assume you are talking about your dearest Co-Editor?'

'I have had enough of him undermining me at every turn.'

'Sucks doesn't it?'

Pushing Marc aside to find the source of that all too familiar voice she saw Daniel leaning against the wall just inside her office, a jubilant smile on his face. 'What's the matter Wilhelmina, you can dish it out but you can't take it?'

Rising from her chair she never once moved her eyes from his as she stalked towards him, hands on hips. 'Oh I can take it Danny boy…you come up with a better concept than me then fine we'll use your concept. Remember the 'Love is a Battlefield' spread? I let you have that.'

'Ooooh once, one time you let me have my own way.'

'It was once more than you deserved. But this….this is ludicrous, it's Oscar season Daniel. We always do the Oscar edition. It's our biggest seller after the Christmas issue. It's a Mode tradition!'

'But we do the same thing every year.'

'What part of the word tradition do you not understand?' She asked, screwing up her face at his stupidity.

Shrugging and still with that infuriating smile on his face, he answered. 'I just wanted a change, something fresh, you know shake things up a bit.'

Throwing her hands up in the air she shouted at him. 'Fine Daniel, you want to mess with perfection then fine! We can talk about doing something new and exciting, just not something I have categorically said no to. Mode does not do something as tacky as…euch…Bond!'

'Look, the new film's just out and Bond is more fashionable than ever. Designer clothes, the flashiest cars, the hottest girls.' He continued to smile at her, God he loved it when he won, he intended to milk this feeling for all it was worth, it didn't happen often. He knew this issue would do no where near as well as the tried and tested favourite that was the Oscars but it was worth it just to get one over on Wilhelmina.

As if she could read his thoughts she spoke to him in that monotone voice. 'I know you're doing this to get to me Daniel. No matter how I feel about you or any of the other nobodies that work here, I would never stake Modes reputation on the line just to beleaguer you. Now ask yourself who really cares about this magazine.' She finished with her eyebrow raised, stomach doing a little flip inside as she saw his smile falter and knew that she had got to him.

'You know Wilhelmina, you really shouldn't scrunch your face up like that, those lines are getting harder to hide.'

She heard Marc gasp behind her, 'Oh no he didn't!'

She turned to give Marc a glare to silence him. When she turned back to Daniel, he was gone.

**Chapter 2**

Daniel was in his office, still reeling from his conversation with Wilhelmina. Now not sure if he felt elated at beating her or stupid for letting his need to win corrupt his better instinct. His mother entered the room and disrupted his thoughts.

'Did I hear right…Mode is doing a…_James Bond_ issue?'

'Don't start Mom, not you too.'

'Me too? Who else…?'

Daniel looked at his Mother and tilted his head.

'Ah…Wilhelmina.'

He sighed loudly, 'She thinks I'm only doing this to get at her.'

'Well she's right isn't she?' When Daniel didn't answer she persevered, 'Don't let your hatred for her consume you Daniel. You are jeopardising the integrity of this Magazine, of Meade. This is what she wants, she is not going anywhere and if you keep making bad decisions it will be that much easier for her to push you out.'

Grateful for the distraction when Betty came bustling in to the room, Daniel jumped from his seat.

'Betty!'

'Daniel we have a problem, the car for the shoot has just been delivered, it's in the parking garage.'

'What?! But…but Daniel Craig is in Buffalo!'

Out of the corner of his eye he could see his mother grimace and mouth 'Buffalo.' Pointing to her but not turning to her he sniped, 'I said don't start.' Claire made as if to seal her lips and throw away the key and left Daniels office.

Daniel started pacing and was literally tearing at his hair. What are we gonna do Betty!? The shoot is in 5 hours, how am I going to fix this?'

'Daniel relax, Buffalo is like 250 miles away, you can totally do that in 5 hours.'

'But it'll take at least an hour for us to get a hold of a truck to ship it.' His eyes were wide now and his voice was starting to creep up in pitch.

Betty shrugged, 'You could always just drive the car…I know forget I said it, the cars worth too much money, its not worth it.'

Daniel rushed to Betty and grabbed her arms, he shook her lightly. 'Betty, you are a genius, what would I do without you.' He ran to her desk and snatched up the keys that sat there. 'These the keys?' Betty nodded and Daniel smiled, wider than he had in Wilhelmina's office.

'I get to drive James Bond's car!'

Down in the parking garage now, Daniel was like a kid at Christmas. The security guard watching the car was scandalised at Daniels announcement that he intended to drive the car. The $1000 Daniel slipped in his hand helped him get past it though.

Opening the car door Daniel slid into the drivers seat, looking to see no one was about he leaned forward and hugged the steering wheel. 'I'm in James Bond's car!!' Sitting back now, he started the ignition and turned to what he thought were the automatic controls to shift from park into drive.

Shit.

The elevator doors opened and Daniel stomped out. Taking only two steps he stopped, looked around and bellowed, 'Does anyone know how to handle a stick?!'

Looking down the corridor he could see Marc and Amanda at the reception desk prancing about with their hands in the air. 'I can…I can.'

'I'm talking about driving a car.'

Their faces fell along with their hands. He didn't know where she appeared from but suddenly Betty was by his side.

'What's the matter?'

'The car…it's a stick shift, not an automatic.'

'You can't drive a stick?'

'Please Betty, I'm a Meade. When have I taken anything other than the easy option? C'mon someone in these offices must know.'

'Daniel, I don't think the women in here hold driving high up in their priorities and the men…well most of the men are worse than the women.'

'Well what about our drivers then?'

'They're all out, it could take an hour to have one back.'

'Oh Daaaan-i-e-llllll.' Daniel twisted his body to find the person who was singing his name, it was Marc with a very amused expression on his face.

'Marc I don't have time for your innuendos.'

Marc pouted, 'Too bad…'cause I know who can grind your gears.'

**Chapter 3**

'I'm sorry, you want me to do what now?'

'Drive me and the car to the shoot in Buffalo.' Said Daniel in a sheepish voice, looking at the floor.

Wilhelmina scoffed, 'Oh this is rich, this is priceless. You go over my head, you approve this ridiculous concept, come into my office to gloat and now you want me to…help? Hmmm…let me think.'

'Wilhelmina come on, I'm asking for your help. For the magazine. You just need to drive there and then you can fly back. God I'll charter a jet with my own money even. I just need you to drive.'

She fixed her hair, looking in the mirror, loving having Daniel beg her but showing nothing but boredom on her face. 'I do not drive, I am driven. Anyway, can't you do it.'

'No.'

'Why am I not surprised, when have you taken anything other than the easy option?'

Annoyed that she was echoing his own words to Betty back at him he mumbled under his breath in a childish voice, 'You don't know me.' He cleared his throat and tried again.

'But you _can_ drive.'

'Yes Daniel I can also dance but trust me when I say you won't see me doing the salsa anytime soon.'

Daniel groaned through his clenched jaw. 'Look, I know you don't want this concept but it's too late for anything else. It's better a bad issue than no issue, think of what it would do to the magazine.' Knowing she would do anything rather than let Mode suffer he allowed himself the tiniest smile as she sighed and rolled her eyes.

'Give me five minutes.'

In a knee jerk reaction he screamed 'Thank You!' and flung his arms round her. Realising instantly just who he was hugging he sprang back from her noting the look of bewilderment and utter revulsion on her face as she spoke to him.

'Make it ten, I have to go throw up.'

Ten minutes later Daniel was sitting in the drivers seat posing. 'The name's Meade…Daniel Meade.'

He jumped as Wilhelmina opened the door, 'Funny, because I was thinking Moron…Total Moron. Move over.'

He did as asked and watched as she got in the car, taking in the ridiculously high gold spiked shoes she was wearing.

'Should you be wearing them to drive…shouldn't you wear flats?'

She didn't even bother to answer him, settled for looking at him like he was an idiot as she started the engine and tore out of the garage.

**Chapter 4**

An hour in to their drive had passed in complete silence save for her occasional tutting or sighing. Daniel was leaning back in his chair, head resting on the support behind him and absentmindedly clicking his tongue.

'Must everything you do be so god damn annoying?'

He turned his head slowly to face her and deliberately let out another loud click with his tongue. She took her eyes away from the road long enough to glare at him.

'Mature.'

'I'm sorry I'm just so bored! This should be awesome…we're in James-freaking-Bonds car!'

'I really don't give a rats ass whose car this is, that I'm in it with you is enough to make it a journey I'd rather forget.'

'But it's _James Bond_'

'No Daniel it's not, James Bond is not a real person, this is a car that was probably not even driven by Daniel Craig just some sweaty stuntman.' She said, the exasperation evident in her voice.

'Do you have to ruin everything?'

'Are you really just learning this now?' She asked smugly and even though Daniel couldn't see her whole face he knew that god damn eyebrow would be raised.

Bored again, he lolled his head back and resumed clicking his tongue, a harsh rev from the engine quickly shut him up. Slapping a tune with his hands on his thighs he looked around the car and his eyes fell on the radio.

'Oh I bet this car has an awesome sound system.' He reached for the radio and flipped it on and the sounds of soft jazz drifted through the car. As soon as Daniel had reclined comfortably in his seat Wilhelmina reached forward and switched it off.

Without missing a beat he turned it on again, only for Wilhelmina to switch it straight back off. On his 3rd attempt to turn it on she slapped his hands. 'What the hell?! Come on I know you like jazz.'

'Yes I do.'

'So why can't we listen to it?'

'Because you want to.'

'Now who's immature?'

'I'm driving, it's allowed.'

Once again he returned his head to the support behind him.

'I spy, with my little eye….'

'Oh for God sake!' Wilhelmina turned the radio on and blasted the volume.

**Chapter 5**

After taking all the jazz he could, he just didn't get it, he turned the radio station and Wilhelmina let him, probably afraid that he would start trying to play travel games again. He was tapping the glove box in front of him and singing along quietly to Journey.

'Don't stop believing…hold on to that feeling yeah.'

'Don't give up your day job Daniel.'

'Can I have that in writing? Otherwise no one is ever going to believe you just said that to me.' She involuntarily smirked as she realised what she had said and he returned her smile and laughed.

'See this isn't so bad, we can survive a little trip. I mean we made it through out pseudo-date didn't we?'

'True but why complicate things? Lets just keep on our paths of quiet loathing shall we?'

'Fine, you hate me, I hate you.'

'No Daniel, I've never said that. You are a hindrance, an obstacle, I hate that everything I worked diligently for, for years was handed to you on a plate, but as a person…I guess you're not that bad.'

Realising he had just gotten the closest thing to a compliment Wilhelmina Slater was ever going to give him, he responded. 'Well I don't hate you either.'

She actually laughed. 'No…I don't. I hate the things you've done, the stunts you've pulled and the mess you left in your wake, but on the rare occasions we talk to each other like human beings it's…ok.'

'Ah yes but as a very shrewd man once said Danny Boy, 'It is our actions that make us the people we are.'

'Oh please, everyone makes bad choices, what hack said that?'

Taking her eyes from the road briefly she looked at him with a mixture of surprise and sadness that he didn't know. 'It was your fathers epitaph Daniel.'

'Oh.'

The silence encompassing them again Wilhelmina turned round a bend and a huge expanse of empty road lay in front of them. 'Now this is what I've been waiting for.' She smiled as she shifted up a couple of gears and gunned it to 110. 'I may not drive often, but when I do, I do it right.'

Gripping on to his seat with shock that quickly turned to excitement Daniel let out a whoop and laughed, inclining his head he saw she was laughing too.

'Man this is awesome, I just wish I'd taken the time to learn how to drive a stick.'

Slowing the car, she eventually pulled to a stop at the side of the road. 'Get out.'

'What?'

'Get out of the car Daniel.'

'Are you freaking kidding me…I shouldn't be surprised, ditching me in the middle of an abandoned road, well forget it. You'll have to drag me out.'

Rolling her eyes she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. Walking round to his side she swung the door open. 'I'm not ditching you, you simpering twit. Get in the drivers seat.'

'What?'

'Why must I always repeat myself with you? You really think I want to listen to you moan about not getting to play in the best toy you've seen since your very first G.I Joe?'

'But I can't….'

'It's an empty road, no turns, no manoeuvres, just drive. Are you really telling me you don't want to drive 007's car?

Minutes later Daniel was gunning along the abandoned road, shrieking like a mad man. This time it was Wilhelmina gripping the seat, not with excitement, with genuine fear for her life. She watched as the speed gauge crept up from 110 to 120 and then 130.

'Daniel slow down.'

'What's the matter Willie…can't handle it?' He said with a brainless grin.

The needle kept moving, 140 nearly 150.

'Daniel I said slow down!'

'Oh calm down, live a little.'

'Daniel!'

The car began to slow, 120, 100, 80. 'Thank you.' She breathed a sigh of relief.

'Eh…I'm not doing it.' The car continued to slow and Daniel pulled over to the shoulder as the car came to a complete stop. Daniel tried to start the engine again, it spluttered and died.

'Tell me you're joking! Aaargh Daniel, you are a complete imbecile!'

Trying again at the engine there were still no signs of life.

'I have never in my life thought I could kill someone with my bare hands the way I could kill you right now!'

'Look, just call the photographer, tell him we're running late. Get him to stall.'

Wilhelmina huffed and took her Blackberry from her purse, she groaned. 'No signal.'

Daniel looked at his own. 'Me either.'

'Wonderful, well done Daniel. Now not only are we late for the worst shoot in the world but the shoot might not even go ahead and I am stuck here WITH YOU!'

'Hey I ain't too thrilled either!'

'If you hadn't been driving like a maniac…'

'You were the one who told me…'

'Don't you blame me…'

'If you had just carried on…'

Shouting louder now, 'Look this isn't getting us anywhere, there was a service station just before we turned onto this road, go and get help.'

'Me?'

'Yes Daniel you, you think these shoes were made for walking? Anyway this is your fault.'

'It must be like 15 miles.'

'Then run!'

**Chapter 6 **

She didn't know how long after he had been gone she fell asleep but she awoke from her nap with a start as he got back in the car and slammed the door. She looked at the clock on the dash, he hadn't even been gone 2 hours.

'How did you make it back so quick?' She asked groggily.

'Some guy heard me on the phone saying we had broken down so he offered to give me a ride back in his tow truck.'

'His tow truck?' Wilhelmina asked with a raised brow.

Daniel nodded.

'Daniel, his TOW TRUCK?!' She screamed at him, 'And you didn't get him to tow us because..?'

Daniel looked appalled, 'You can't tow James Bonds car!'

Wilhelmina made an unintelligible noise raised her hands to Daniel as if to claw at him. Inches from his face she stopped, balled them into fists and pressed them to her temples while muttering to herself. 'No, no, it's not worth it…you're too pretty for prison Willie.'

Trying to placate her and genuinely worried that she was going to cause him some serious bodily harm if he didn't give her good news soon, he spoke in a calming voice. 'Look I called Mode, Betty is having a car sent for us and a recovery truck for the car. I called the shoot too, they're doing the same so we'll just need to wait and see who shows up first.'

'Fine!' She huffed, 'Did you at least get something to drink?'

'Yeah I had a soda.'

'For me!?'

'Oh' Daniel looked about his feet for a moment before grinning and bringing a bag, busting at the seams, in to view.

'Dear god Daniel, how long do you think we're going to be here?'

Ignoring her, he began delving into the bag. 'Okay we got Burritos, Chips, Jerky, Soda, Cheetos, Hersheys Hugs and Kisses aaaaand, I had to fight for it but I got you the very last salad in the cooler.' He announced with a flourish as he handed the sad looking salad to her.

She looked at it and threw it out the window, 'Screw the salad I'm starving.' She tore open the Cheetos making Daniel laugh.

'Hey I nearly lost an eye fighting for that salad.'

'Aww poor baby.' She mumbled through a mouthful of food.

'Classy.' He laughed as he bit into a burrito and a huge blob of melted cheese and peppers oozed out onto the upholstery.

'Back at ya.' She returned his laugh.

**Chapter 7**

Half an hour later the heat inside the car had become unbearable and the two were now sat outside, Daniel on the asphalt and Willie on a cushion made from his jacket. The pile of food resting between them. They were currently passing the time by playing True or False.

'Okay,' started Daniel, 'The one place I wouldn't tell you where me and Renee had done it…was your bed.'

'That had better be false or I will gut you with this soda can, I already had to have a new shower installed and buy a new dining table.'

He laughed. She turned to glare at him, 'Well…?'

'It's false, it's false. You go.'

She looked up and pursed her lips thinking. 'I once did a body shot off a half naked woman in a dive bar.'

'False.'

'True.'

'Liar!'

He voice raised an octave, 'I'm not lying, I had to get some big shot advertiser on the hook and he asked me to…I'll do anything for the magazine.'

'I know.' The two looked at each other, the knowledge of just what she had done hanging between them. He coughed.

'Okay my turn…As much as I love my job, there is a part of me that knows that it was nepotistic of my father to give the job to me and unfair to you, you built it and your right, it was handed to me on a plate.'

'False.' She said softly, her head resting on her knees.

'True.'

She smiled, 'I think you're a crappy Editor.'

'True.'

'False.'

The two continued to stare at each other both with dopey little smiles on their faces as they realised that they held a common respect for each other. Realising they had been staring now for several moments Wilhelmina lifted her head and stretched making a conscious effort to look in the opposite direction.

'Give me a kiss.'

Her head spun round so fast she thought she heard something pop. 'What!!'

Daniel grinned idiotically and pointed at the chocolate at her feet. 'The candy, Give me a Hershey's kiss.'

Snatching the bag she let out the nervous laugh she had been holding, 'Couldn't you have just said pass the candy?'

'Yes, but I wanted to see the look on your face.' He said before dissolving into laughter.

'Shut up!' She said, trying to sound threatening but unable to hide the laugh in her voice.

'Oh that was priceless.' Daniel was laughing harder now, she threw a handful of chocolate at him. His laughter slowed as they heard approaching cars. Standing up they saw one of Modes town cars and a recovery truck coming down one side of the road and a limo, obviously from the shoot, coming down the other.

'Thank God.' Exclaimed Willie as she jumped up from the ground.

The truck stopped first and two men jumped out. 'Okay what seems to be the problem?'

Daniel went to speak to the men while Willie walked to the Limo.

'Eh we need to get this car to Buffalo I gave the location to your boss on the phone.'

'Ok not a problem, we've got another car loaded in the back for you to drive home in.'

'That won't be necessary, as you can see we have transport here.'

'We can only carry one car at a time sir.'

'Can't one of you drive it while the other drives the truck?'

'It'll cost ya.'

'Fine.'

He walked away from them and over to Wilhelmina who was still standing next to the Limo.

'The Limo's going to escort the truck to the shoot and the town cars going back to New York.'

'I should go to the shoot.'

'And I should go back to New York.'

Daniel walked back to talk to oversee the car being safely loaded, it's replacement now parked meters behind him. He saw the town car pull away, taking Wilhelmina back to New York and tried to ignore the small feeling of sadness he got as he watched. It had been nice, for a moment there they could pretend like they could get on. He just wished it lasted a bit longer.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an engine starting and he saw the Limo pull away without him.

'Hey!' He started to run after it but was stopped by a horn beeping behind him. Turning round he saw Wilhelmina sitting in the drivers seat of the replacement car. Walking up to it he lowered his head to the window, grinning questioningly.

'I thought you were going back to New York?'

She shrugged, 'Told the driver to go without me. What's a couple more hours?' She smiled, 'Anyway, I hear Daniel Craig looks hot in a Speedo.'

Smiling he got in the car.

**Epilogue**

Daniel had to admit, he was glad Wilhelmina had came to the shoot. With her creative input she had managed to change the traditional Bond 'Boys and their Toys' gimmick into something much more high fashion, granted a semi naked Daniel Craig hadn't hurt either.

The issue had not done as well as the Oscars would have but it had not done as badly as they had both thought it would either. He was sitting alone in the conference room, talking on his cell. She was only in her office but it wouldn't do for the two of them being seen to get along.

'So we still on for tonight?' He asked.

'Well nothing better has presented itself so I suppose so.' She replied and he could hear the smirk in her voice.

'Funny.'

'I thought so.'

Betty came in the room, her usual array of colours and fabrics dazzling Daniel. 'Okay Daniel, I have your messages. Ralph Lauren wants to cut from 9 pages to 7, Gucci is coming in at 4 tomorrow instead of 3 and I've had the people from the Bond shoot on the phone wanting to know why their car smells of hot cheese.'

Daniel heard Wilhelmina laugh on the other side of the phone. 'I'll see you tonight.' He smiled and hung up.

Standing up and putting on his suit jacket he walked to the door still smiling. Betty was wide eyed.

'See you tonight…oooh big date?'

'Not exactly.' He put his hand in his pocket and it closed around the Hershey's Kiss.

He smiled wider, 'Driving lesson.'

The End XD


End file.
